The title “Poland and the Future of the European Union” might not sound very exciting, but don’t be fooled. Just read it! I wish more politicians had the courage to give speeches like that. A clever structure, historical references, plain language and some radical proposals that go beyond the current debate that is dominated by economics. It is a pro-Europe speech but he comes across as polite and honest – you get the feeling there is someone who really is trying to develop constructive proposals for the future of the EU. Or as Charles Crawford noted: “That speech (…) was not by a Polish Foreign Minister. It was by a new European leader” (Update 30/11: hmm, so it turns out that Crawford was consulted by Sikorski before the speech)

The line “I fear German power less than I am beginning to fear German inactivity” has obviously been making the rounds in Germany and elsewhere. I think he could have avoided the alarmist word ”apocalyptic’ when describing the current crisis but overall this is a speech worth reading. Hopefully other Foreign Ministers and Prime Ministers/Chancellors take note!